HL4A is a two-year campaign that was launched on Thursday (September 23) by the European Commissioner for Sport, Mariya Gabriel.

The European Commission invited organisations to contribute to the initiative, of which the IPC was one of more than 20 to get behind.

As part of HL4A, the IPC will encourage European NPCs who are eligible to receive direct financial support grants to use funding to offer access to Para sport for individuals with disabilities.

"It's one of the strategic goals of the IPC to have more persons with a disability engaged in Para sport at all levels, from grassroots to elite," said IPC chief executive Mike Peters.

"Over the next two years our direct financial support grants will enable many of our European members to actively engage with the European Commission's new HealthyLifestyle4All initiative. 

"Working closer with the European Union is important to the IPC. 

"In the next five years there will be two Paralympic Games taking place in Europe and without a doubt, there is going to be greater awareness of disability inclusion.

"We already greatly appreciate the support of the European Commission, and in particular that of President Ursula von der Leyen, for being a stakeholder in the WeThe15 campaign that aims to end discrimination towards persons with disabilities and act as a global movement publicly campaigning for disability visibility, accessibility, and inclusion."

The launch of HL4A coincides with the 2021 European Week of Sport, which encourages people in Europe to get active.

Italian double Paralympic wheelchair fencing champion Bebe Vio and Portuguese T12 marathon runner Jorge Pina are two of the European "#BeActive" ambassadors for the week.

Other organisations who support the HL4A initiative include FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, the International School Sport Federation, World Anti-Doping Agency, World Health Organization, the European Olympic Committees, the European University Sports Association and UEFA.